Kevin Zahara to run for Mayor of Edson.
Former Edson Town Councillor Kevin Zahara has announced his intention to run for Mayor of Edson during the 2017 Municipal Election.
“I believe now is the time for some positive change in leadership at the Town of Edson. As with any organization, you need renewal and change in order to be successful for the long-term,” said Zahara.
“We need to remove roadblocks and find solutions to the issues that are important to residents. I don’t like hearing why we can’t do things, I want to find solutions that are reasonable and keeps our community moving forward.”
Zahara was first elected to Edson Town Council in 2007 and then again in 2010 finishing first overall both times. He served on the Protective Services Committee, Personnel and Finance and was a strong advocate for Community Services and the Arts and Culture community.
He resigned in 2012 after accepting a position within the Provincial Government working for former MLA Robin Campbell at the Alberta Legislature. He worked in the Ministries of Aboriginal Relations, Environment and Sustainable Resource Development along with Treasury Board and Finance.
“I’ve been fortunate to serve as a Town of Edson Councillor, and worked well with our current Mayor. I have a great deal of respect for him and what he’s accomplished over the years including his tireless efforts to get the Edson Hospital replaced. That being said, I do believe that after 13 years we need to have a change in leadership.”
“Over the next few months my campaign is going to be focused on engaging with the public and building a platform that reflects what the majority of Edsonites tell me are their priorities. As I’ve done in the past, I’ll be launching a blog that will open the discussion on a wide range of municipal issues to give residents the opportunity to provide input. I will also be talking to people oneon-one to hear about their priorities.”
In 2002, Zahara was elected to Athabasca Town Council at the age of 19 and was one of the youngest elected municipal councillors in the province at the time. He is currently 33 years old and is married to his wife Kristie Gomuwka and has a step-daughter Keira. He also has a dog named Winston.
Zahara is an active volunteer, serving currently as Vice President of Edson Citizens on Patrol and as director with the Edson and District Historical Society.
Residents can follow his Facebook Page www.facebook.com/electkevinzahara
Following up with Zahara we asked him about the circumstances regarding his resignation from council in 2012.
“I had the opportunity to apply for a job that brought together my political and media experience,” said Zahara. “I was ready for a career change at that point in my life and needed a new challenge. I was single at the time and it was a great opportunity. I learned a lot about provincial issues working in the various Ministries I served in along with how Cabinet and the legislature worked,” he said. “Provincial politics is very partisan and can be ugly. The experience showed me that my true passion is municipal politics where more common sense and reasonable solutions are found. During my three years working in Edmonton I travelled back to Edson almost every weekend as I started dating my wife shortly after I moved away. We were married in 2014 and had a long-distance marriage for a year. She didn’t move to Edmonton as it was my intention to move back to Edson eventually. We bought a house together and I started a new career in the Automotive Industry in 2015.” Concluding Zahara said, “We have no intentions of moving as we have a young daughter in school and my wife has a career and family here. She is also running for school trustee, an area she is very passionate about.”